Dam pen in g - m ac hin e



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. O H HOOVER DAMPENING MACHINE.

No. 436,480. Patented Sept. 16, 1890.

( No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. G. H. HOOVER. DAMPENING- MACHINE.

No. 436,480. Patented Sept. 16, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. HOOVER, OF GALESBURG, ILLINOIS.

DAMPENlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 436,480, dated September 16, 1890.

Application filed December 3, 1886. $erial No. 220,595- (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES H. Hoovna, a citizen of the United States, residing at Galesburg, in the county of Knox and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dampening-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to dampening-machines of that class designed more especially for dampening shirt collars and cults to prepare them for ironing; and the invention consists in constructions and combinations hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one method of applying my invention, Figure 1 is a top plan; Fig. 2, a side elevation; Fig. 3, a sectional elevation in line a: x in Fig. 1; Fig. 4, an enlarged side elevation of parts shown by Fig. 2, with the gear wheels removed and their shafts in section; Fig. 5, an enlarged sectional elevation in line yy in Fig. 1, show ing the rollers and other parts in sectional elevation.

Referring to the drawings by letter, the same letter indicating the same part in the diiferent figures, A represents a supportingframe, which may be of any suitable or desired construction, and is shown as supported on legs a.

B B are rollers extending across the frame A and provided with journals at their ends, which journals have bearings in blocks 0, that are fitted to have a limited movement laterally in sockets or slots 0 in the frame A. A set-screw D passes through the wall of one of the sockets c at each side of the machine into contact with a block 0, and are used to force the rollers B into closer proximity when desired. The rollers B are preferably yielding rubber rollers, such as are commonly used in clothes-wringing machines, and are preferably covered by winding a cord B thereon, or otherwise covered by some good waterholding material. I have found wrapping them with strips of canton-flannel very effective.

Above each pair of sockets o is a head E, and each head E is provided with suitable bearings e e for the journal ends f of two rollers F. Each head E has a groove'e, which fits upon a standard G, which projects upwardly from the frame A, and on which standard the heads E respectively can slide upwardly and downwardly. A set-screw 9 passes through each head E and into the frame A, and a spiral spring g encircles each set-screw g and rests between the head E and frame A. By means of the set-screws g the rollers F can be adjusted toward the rollers B, and the springs g will force the rollers away from the rollers B when the set-screws are turned to permit said movement. The rollers F are preferably ordinary wringer-rollers without any covering exterior to the rubber. The journals at one end of the lower rollers or dampeningrollers B are extended and pro- Vided each with a pinion 1), which pinions are in gear so that the rotation of one by a hand-crank Z)" will rotate the other. llf preferred, the machine may be driven by other power connected with a pulley 72', (see Fig. 1,) or by any other well-known means.

H H are pans supported by the frame A, and are located or arranged one below each roller B and at a short distance from each other to. form a space It between them, which space is immediately beneath a line between the rollers B, so that articles passing downwardly between said rollers will also pass downwardly between the pans I-I. (See Fig. 3.) The interiors of the pans H are connected by a pipe h, preferably located beneath one end of the rollers.

I is a water-supply tank seated in or convenient to one of the pans H and has a fancet 2", by means of which water is delivered to one of the pans H, the other receiving it through the pipe 7t.

J is an overflow-pipe for regulating the height of the waterv in the pans by preventing a too great height of water therein.

At Fig. 2 the arrows show the direction of rotation of the rollers when in operation. The water is carried upward on that part of the surfaces of the rollers B most distant from their nearest surfaces to each other, and the contact of the surfaces of the rollers F with the rollers B will force the water back in proportion to the degree of force of said contact. Hence by a proper adjustment of the rollers F in reference to the rollers B by means of the set-screws g the amount of water carried by the rollers B past their contact with the rollers F may be regulated, and a greater or less quantity of water be furnished, as required by different'articles to be dampened, by passing them downwardly between the rollers F F, which are some distance apart, and thencethrough the dampening-rollers B B. The distance, and thereby the pressure, between the rollers B is regulated by the setscrews D for articles which vary in their thickness sufficiently to require it.

By means of this machine such articles as collars and cuffs and similar articles may be dampened preparatory to ironing in a very rapid and very superior manner, and are dampened with more or less water, as desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In adampening-machine, in combination with pans from which they receive Water by rotating therein, rollers, such as B, between which the article to be operated upon is passed and pressed, and water-regulatingrollers, such as F, adjustable with reference to said rollers B, substantiallyas and for the purpose specified.

2. In a dampening-machine, in combination with pans from which they receive water by rotating therein, rollers B,between which the article to be operated upon is passed and pressed, and which rollers are adjustable to regulate the pressure on the article between them, and water-regulatin g rollers adjustable with reference to the water-lifting and pressing rollers, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In a dampening-machine, in combination, the frame A, pans H H, rollers B, geared to each other, sliding heads E, set-screws D, rollers F, and set-screws g, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. In a dampening-machine, in combination, the frame A, pans H H, rollers 13, geared to each other, sliding heads E, set-screws D, rollers F, set-screws g, and spiral springs 9, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. In combination, frame A, pans H H, connected by a pipe, tank I, overflow-pipe J, roll ers B, which rotate in and receive water directly from the pans H and which receive the article to be operated on and press it between them, and rollers F, which are adjustable to and from the rollers B, substantially as described In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES H. HOOVER. Witnesses:

J. B. Boees, ION G. DIETERICH. 

